Cranstons Traditionally Matured Beef

Buying the best cattle is very important but the maturation of the meat is equally crucial for the quality of the final product. There is a lot of debate in the industry about the optimum hanging time but Cranstons believe a 3 week hanging period achieves the best flavour without discolouration or spoilage.

"All our roasting joints, frying and grilling steaks are hung for a minimum of 3 weeks before sale. Hanging the beef allows the meat to mature giving it more flavour and making it more tender."
Roger Cranston

Making Cranstons Traditional Cumberland Sausage

Our sausage is made in our small production unit on the same site as the Cumbrian Food Hall in Penrith. Tender pork is first passed through a mincer then mixed with breadrcumbs and our special Cumberland spice blend before being passed through a large mixing machine (an electric version of the old-fashioned sausage mixers) and then filled into natural skins.

"Making Traditional Cumberland sausage is like baking a cake, the mixing of the meat is a really delicate process, the proportions and timing have to be exactly right or the sausage will loose its distinctive colour, texture and flavour. Only our longest standing members of staff are trusted to make our famous Cumberland."
David Law, Cranstons Production Unit Manager
(26 years service)

Cranstons Award Winning Dry Cured Bacon

Our dry cured bacon recently won the title Best Butchers Bacon at the National Bacon Awards. It is produced in our production unit by our specialist team of bacon curers. Pork Loins from Orchard Farm, Newbiggin, are smothered in a mixture of brown sugar and salt and left to cure for several days before being hung. The salt and sugar draws the moisture out of the loin, giving it a delicious and unique combination of salt and sweet flavours. The fact that we don't use any water means the bacon isn't too salty and doesn�t shrink in the pan.

"Our bacon tastes like Bacon used to taste, it has a really meaty texture and a lovely mildly salted almost sweet flavour."
Sean Carney, Master Butcher and Bacon Curer